Action from Kingsdown's 3-0 win over RWBT Dev

Premier Division

It was a busy week of midweek action in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League with games in both the Premier Division and Division One. In the Premier Division three teams went into their games having won all of their opening fixtures but all three were to drop points in midweek, although Wroughton, one of the three, retained their unbeaten start to the season. This was achieved following a 0-0 draw against close friends and rivals Shrivenham in the battle of the blue and white hoops at the Weir Field. Shrivenham are becoming the draw specialists in the division having now drawn all three of their opening games. The point for Wroughton was enough to send them clear at the top of the table due to results elsewhere.  

Pewsey Vale made the journey to the south of the country looking to defend their 100% winning start to the season against an in-form Shrewton United. After losing their opening game of the season Shrewton had bounced back with victories against Larkhall Athletic Development and Kingsdown. They started brightly going in front as early as the fifth minute of the game, Lewis Cross on his return to the side getting on the end of a Joe Spratt cross. Pewsey go themselves back into the game just before the hour mark, a defensive mix-up at a corner allowing Jake Collis a simple tap in. They were not on level terms for long though, as Shrewton restored their lead within ten minutes of the equaliser, Jordon Cross getting on the end of flick by James Collins from a long throw to head home for 2-1. Shrewton then made sure of the points 15 minutes from time from the penalty spot, Brennan Knowles making no mistake from the spot kick to give Shrewton a 3-1 lead. Shrewton then battled away until the end to make sure they did not concede again to secure all three points and move up to fourth place in the table level on points with Pewsey who remain in second place. Shrewton are back in action on Friday night when they take on another of the sides at the top end of the table Kintbury Rangers in a game brought forward following great collaboration between the two clubs.

The other side who started their midweek games with a 100% winning record were Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves who were at home to Melksham Town Reserves. Melksham had been heavily defeated at home by Kintbury Rangers on Saturday and manager Justin Flowers certainly got a positive reaction to that first defeat of the season from his players to inflict a first defeat on Bemerton, Melksham winning by the odd goal in five. On target for Melksham were Leo Rendell, Samuel Whitehead and Liam Brooks, James McSorley and Dean Reynolds with the Bemerton goals. The win for Melksham saw them move up to fifth place in the table, whilst Bemerton dropped three places in the table to eighth spot.

More of Tony's excellent pictures can be found at www.efc.smugmug.com

Letcombe sit third in the table after they recorded a big win over bottom of the table Blunsdon scoring seven times to record third and biggest win to date since joining the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League. Star of the show was Ben Cleary who helped himself to a hat-trick, Keiran Kerby notched his fourth of the campaign and there were further goals from Aaran Mudie, Owen Shaw and Xavi Ziaz.

Last season’s runners-up Kintbury Rangers went into their game against Faringdon Town unbeaten and they maintained that unbeaten record with a 3-0 home win that saw them climb one place in the table to sixth spot. Last season Aidan Maycock had scored 17 goals for the Development side, and he has successfully stepped up to the first team this season scoring again on Tuesday night, adding to his goal against Melksham on Saturday, as did both Aaron Voller and Oliver Denner who also both scored for the second game running in the 3-0 win. As noted above Kintbury are back in action on Friday night under lights with that visit from Shrewton United.

New Trowbridge Town manager Wayne Thorne was in charge for his first game of the season on Tuesday night when his side traveled south to take on Salisbury Development. It was to be a winning start for the new manager as goals from Liam Milburn and Jamie Lyons secured a 2-0 win as Trowbridge made it two wins and a draw from their opening four fixtures.The only blemish on the night for Thorne was the bad injury picked up by goal scorer Milburn which could see him out of action for a couple of months following a bad challenge.

On Wednesday night Calne Town Reserves entertained Larkhall Athletic Development. Both sides went into the game looking for their first points of the season and both will have gone home happy to have got off the mark following a 1-1 draw, Jack Smith with the goal for Calne and Alfie Prescott with the Larkhall Athletic Development reply. 

Wednesday night also saw Kingsdown rewarded for their efforts in switching the game against Royal Wootton Bassett Town to Southbrook Rec with a comfortable 3-0 win. All of the three goals came in the opening quarter of the game. Kingsdown went in front on nine minutes, a cross to the far post by Dan Jones was met by the head of Antonio Gerrish to put the home side 1-0 up. They doubled their lead nine minutes later. A ball over the top found Ollie While whose shot hit the post and traveled across the goal line and was adjudged to have crossed the line by the assistant referee, this despite the efforts of keeper Daniel West to prevent the ball crossing the line. The visitors were not at the races and almost conceded a third moments later after George Lance gave the ball away but this time the goal bound shot came back off the post and was cleared to safety. Kingsdown did not have to wait long for the third though, on 24 minutes the influential Gerrish hit a powerful shot from the edge of the box which nestled in the bottom corner of the net for 3-0 and his second of the game.  Kingsdown continued to press for more with the visitors really struggling to get into the game, but they managed to get to half time without conceding again. A much better second half performance from the visitors, with all the substitutes making a positive impact, avoided any further damage. They did however go close to conceding another when Ollie While had an audacious lob following a mishit clearance by the keeper that went to him just inside the opponent’s half, but his attempted lob from distance went just over. A second win of the season for Kingsdown who climbed into the top half of the table as a result of the win.

More photos from this game can be found on the League Facebook Group Page.

Division One

In Division One the early leaders of the division are Marlborough Town who are one of three unbeaten teams following their opening round of fixtures. On Wednesday night they made the short journey to near neighbours Pewsey Vale Development and picked up their second victory of the season scoring four unanswered goals. It was a good evening for the Womersley family with Tom scoring twice and Harry netting his second goal of the season, the other goal coming courtesy of an own goal. The win left Marlborough on seven points from their opening three games one point ahead of a cluster of teams on six points.

Redhouse sit second in the table building on Saturday’s big win over Pewsey Vale Dev with a 3-1 away win in the Swindon derby against Stratton Juniors on Tuesday night. It was all square at the break at one apiece but two second half goals secured all three points for Redhouse. There were three different scorers for Redhouse with Shrubb, Ricketts and Pithers all finding the net with the Stratton goal coming from its normal source with Corey Cullen bagging his second goal of the season. This Saturday sees Redhouse up against leaders Marlborough as the top two play each other at Elcot Lane, Marlborough.

There was a lively derby encounter at Green Lane, Devizes between Bishops Cannings and Devizes Town Reserves. The home side Bishops Cannings led 1-0 at the break thanks to a goal from Lleyton Edwards a minute before half time. They doubled their lead just before the hour mark through Oliver Barnes, but three late Devizes Town Reserves goals saw the visitors leave with all three points and local bragging rights. On target for Devizes were Finley Palmer with a brace and Cullen Wylie. The win for Devizes sees them join that cluster of teams on six points.

There were also plenty of goals in the game between Bratton and Bradford Town Reserves, the two sides sharing six goals and the points. Bratton led 2-1 at the break thanks to two headed goals from Drew Adams, the second coming on the stroke of half time, with Kieran Balchin having given visitors Bradford Town Reserves the lead before Adams bagged his brace. It remained 2-1 until 20 minutes from time when Corey Pugh restored parity. Ten minutes from time a mishit shot from Brandon Thompson put Bratton back in front but Balchin levelled things up again with his second of the game as it finished 3-3.

Down Ampney are one of those teams on six points after a 2-0 away win over Kingsdown Development thanks to goals from George Bailey and Steven Algar. That is two wins in two for Down Ampney on their return to the Wiltshire Senior League.

The final game of the week was on Thursday night at the Ian Richardson Football Ground where Lambourn Sports were looking to maintain their winning start to the season against Shrivenham Development and go top of the table. However, things did not go to plan as first half goals from Matt Slevin and Lewis Mokler saw Shrivenham lead 2-1 going into the closing stages. Although Lambourn pushed hard for the equaliser the young Shrivenham side held out to secure their first win of the season and deny Lambourn that top spot in the table.

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16 August 2024